Sally Furniss
Well-known member
High risk patients may get swine flu vaccine
<!-- UID: 89c62009b226167b7a4ef7cbc658563c2c2b4355 AID: 2005825 C: 2009-07-15 08:29:50 U: 2009-07-15 08:30:10 P: 2009-07-15 09:11:27 --> Updated at 8:30am on 15 July 2009
Health officials say some of the swine flu vaccine ordered for use by frontline health workers may be given to high risk patients too.
Deputy Director of Public Health Dr Fran McGrath says 300,000 doses of vaccine have been purchased and are due for delivery any day.
Dr McGrath says if it appears there is enough of the vaccine to keep health workers well, it will look at giving the rest to people with complicated medical conditions.
She says the previous plan to initially give the vaccine only to health workers was based on pandemic planning for bird flu and is now being reassessed.
Dr McGrath says the drug regulator Medsafe is yet to licence the vaccine.
Nine deaths around the country are now confirmed as being linked to swine flu. The Ministry of Health says 113 people are in hospital around the country with the H1N1 virus, 23 of whom are in intensive care.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/stories/2009/07/15/1245bbef90c6
<!-- UID: 89c62009b226167b7a4ef7cbc658563c2c2b4355 AID: 2005825 C: 2009-07-15 08:29:50 U: 2009-07-15 08:30:10 P: 2009-07-15 09:11:27 --> Updated at 8:30am on 15 July 2009
Health officials say some of the swine flu vaccine ordered for use by frontline health workers may be given to high risk patients too.
Deputy Director of Public Health Dr Fran McGrath says 300,000 doses of vaccine have been purchased and are due for delivery any day.
Dr McGrath says if it appears there is enough of the vaccine to keep health workers well, it will look at giving the rest to people with complicated medical conditions.
She says the previous plan to initially give the vaccine only to health workers was based on pandemic planning for bird flu and is now being reassessed.
Dr McGrath says the drug regulator Medsafe is yet to licence the vaccine.
Nine deaths around the country are now confirmed as being linked to swine flu. The Ministry of Health says 113 people are in hospital around the country with the H1N1 virus, 23 of whom are in intensive care.
http://www.radionz.co.nz/news/stories/2009/07/15/1245bbef90c6